Locomotive drifting valve



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' E. B. WHELAN LOCOMOTIVE DRIFTING VALVE Filed April 27, 1923 3Sheetsdheet 1 Flllflll IN VEN TOR es/V529. Wmsan A3 A TTORNE YS E. B.WHELAN LOCOMOTIVE DRIFTING VALVE Filed April 27. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNE YS B. WHELEN LOCOMOTIVE' mmmnci VALVE Filed April 27. 1923 3sneezs-sxii 3 IN VENTOR EUGENE- M/Ebdli ATTORNEYS Patented July 22,1924.

STATES EUGENE B. WHELAN, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

LOCOMOTIVE DRIFTING VALVE.

Application filed April 27, 1923. Serial No. 635,153.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE B. VIII-LAN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of )maha. in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotive DriftingValves, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates generally to locomotive drifting devicesand more particularly to a device embodying certain improvements andadvantages in construction and operation upon my prior patents forsimilar devices and particularly my Patent 839,912 dated January 1,1907, my primary object being the provision of a simple andcomparatively inexpensive arrangement providing for the automaticby-passing of pressure as well as the relief of vacuum and compressionand also providing for the automatic controlled supply of low pressureor saturated steam continuously during drifting in order to bring abouteffective and eflieient lubrication.

My present device also aims toward simple, quick and easy installation,promotes economy not only in first cost but in upkeep, and insureseffective efficient action with little attention during its life.

In the accompanying drawings which. illustrate my present invention andform a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section partly through a steamcylinder and its piston valve casing showing my improvements appliedthereto,

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken centrally andlongitudinally through the pressure controlled saturated steam supplyvalve, v

Figure 3 is a similar view through one of the by-pass valves,

Figure 4 is a central vertical transverse section through the supplyvalve shown in Figure 2, I

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the valve members ofFigure 2 and itscontrolling spring,

Figure 5" is a detail horizontal section through one of the valvemembers shown in Figure 5, and

Figures 6 and 7 are detail horizontalsections taken through the by-passvalve respectively on lines 6-6 and 7'7 ofFigure 3. r

Referring now particularly to Figure 1 I have shown a steam cylinder 10with its piston valve casing 11 thereabove and with its steam channels12 and 13 communicating between the valve chamber of the casing 11 andthe opposite ends of the steam cylinder and controlled in operation bythe piston valve (not shown). The piston valve casing 11 is shown withits usual central high pressure steam space 1 1 and two by-pass valvesgenerally indicated at 15 and 16 are respectively connected at theirlower ends by pipes 17 and 18 with the high pressure steam space 14 andat their upper side portions by pipes 19 and 20 with the upper ends ofthe steam channels 12 and 13. The valve members within the by-passvalves 15 and 16 are normally closed by the pressure within the steamspace 14 but are set to open automatically when the throttle of thelocomotive is closed in order to permit of by-pass of pres sure as wellas relief of compression and also the intake of saturated steam or steamof any character along with lubricantcfor lubricating purposes in amanner to be presently described, it being understood that as to theby-passing feature pressure, with the valve members open, may proceedfrom either end of the steam cylinder 10 in front of the piston throughfor instance steam channel 12, pipe 19, valve 15, pipe 17, steam space14:, pipe 18, valve 16 and pipe 20, through steam channel 13 behind thepiston thus relieving both compression and vacuum and that flow in anexactly reverse direction takes place when the piston moves in the steamcylinder 10 in an opposite direction.

For the above purpose each of the by-pass valves of which one is shownin detail in Figures 3, 6 and 7 wherein valve 15 is shown as anexamplehas a housing 21 provided with downwardly facing valve seats 22and 23 respectively above and below its side opening 24: and with whichthe rings 25 and 26 at lengthwise spaced points of the valve member 27respectively cooperate. These rings of the valve member are spaced apartby webs 28 in the housing 21 and the lower surface of the lower andlarger ring 26 is exposed to the high pressure steam space 14: by virtueof the. annular series of openings 29 through the inner portion of aplugBC within the lower portion of the housing 21. whose lower outer endconnects with the pipe 19.

The annular series of openings are formed lengthwise of the plug aroundits central 'bearing'portion 31 into whose upper end a cylindrical bore32 is formed for the lower reduced cylindrical extension 33 of the valvemember, bore 32 being in communication with the lower chamb red portionof the plug 30 through a reduced axial channel "ber has webs 38 locatedimmediately above its upper valve ring 25 and below its upper reducedcylindrical extension 39 which like the lower reduced extension 33,interfits a cylindrical bore 40' and which, with the lower extension 33,webs 23 and 33, thus 'completes a four-point suspension of the valve inthe housing so as to successfully take care of side thrust at all times,The

bore 40 is however formed within the reduced upper portion 41. of thehousing 21,

'jwhich upper reduced portion 41 is externally threaded, for thereception of a screw cap 42 having a lower enlarged annular flange 43around the upper portion of the housing 21 below the extension 41 andabove the nipple 36. The flange 43 has a circumferential series ofopenings 44 through its wall in the same plane with the circumferentialseries of openings 45 and 46 through the wall of the adjacent portion ofthe housing 21 so as to constitute an adjustable compression reliefdevice when the valve member 27 is in lower open position.

By adjusting the cap, the openings 44 of its flange 43 are shiftedrelative to the openings 45 of the housing, thus controlling the.

effective area of the relief ports which these openings constitute, andby further shifting the cap until certain of its flange openings 44uncover the smaller openings 46 of the housing, at which time theopenings 45 will be covered by the cap, the minimum of air intake andconsequently the minimum of relief port area, is instantly established.

a V Tl e upper reduced portion 41 of the housling has an axial opening47 communicating between the upper outer endof its bearing bore 40 andthe atmosphere and this re- ,duced opening or channel. cooperates withthe-before mentioned opening or channel 634 to cushion opening andclosing movements of the valve-member 27 as a whole inprden to preventhammering of the same 1n ltsopening and closing movements.

\,Referringagain to Figure 1 itrwill be noted vtha'tthe saturated steamsupply tubes 37 leading to the upper side'nipples- 36 of (the twoby-pass valves 15 and 16, extend i from the lower side portions of asaturated vremains closed.

steam controlling valve 48, the latter includin a housing 49 havingsimilar side channels 50 and 51 at whose lower ends are nipples 52 and53 to'which the upper ends of the tubes 37 are connected.

Th housing 49 has an enlarged central chamber 54 communicating with theupper ends of the channels 50 and 51 by cylindrical bearing apertures55, and is providedwith an upper saturated steam receiving space 56communicating at its opposite sides with the upper ends of the channelsthrough openings coaxial with the apertures and around which openingsare formed valve seats 57 and 58. The upper central portion of thehousing 49 receives centrally thereof one end of a saturated steamsupply pipe 59 which may be connected with the locomotive boiler atvarious points, and said iousing is provided atopposite sides of thepipe 59 which thus supplies saturated steam to the space 56, withthreaded openings axially alined with the apertures 55 and re 'ceivingcaps 60 and 61 having inner axial bores 62 forming bearings for theouter ends of the'stems 63 of a pair of valve members havingintermediate their ends valve rings 64 normally in engagement with thevalve seats 57 and 58 under control of springs 65 around the stems 63and between the rings v64and the plugs 61 so that communieation betweenthe steam space 56 and the upper ends of the side channels 51 isnormally out 01f V i The lower portions of the stems 63 of the two uppervalve members have, below their rings 64, enlarged cylindrical portions66, these portions slidably interfitting the apertures 55 beforementioned so that the lower ends of the stems 63 project intothe centralchamber 54 of housing 49, all as'clearly seen in Figure 2, eachcylindrical enlargement 66 having an annular series of lengthiseopenings 67 plainly seen in Figures 5 and 5 so that the central chamber54 is in communication at all times with the side channels 50 and 5 1.

Below its central chamber 54 the housing 49 has an enlarged horizontalbore 68 which is cylindrically formed to provide for the reception of a"slidably interfitting' piston 69, the latter having an annular groove 7O at its center where thew'bore 68 is in open communicatlon with thecentral chamber 54 in order to provide for the movable reception of'thedepending tang 71 of an oscillatable cam '7 2 within the central chamber54 whose upper spaced bosses 73' are normally disposed upon oppositesides of the valve stems 63 so that upon movement of the cam in onedirection the near upper valvemember will beer'aised while the oppositevalve member The-cam member 72 is prov'idedfwitha vertical oil groove 74and, as best seen in 50 and V surfaces of the latter from the rear wallof the housing &9 and from a forward plug 76 threaded into an opening inthe front wall of the casing through which the cam member may beinserted within the central chamber in the first instance. Through thisplug 76 and the rear wall of the housing 19 a shaft 77 is locked, thisshaft extending through the sleeve for the oscillatable support of thecam 72.

It will be noted from Figure 2 that the piston bore 68 extends betweenthe lower portions of the side channels 50 and 51 and that the housing49 has, beyond these channels, threaded counterbores 78 for thereception of plugs '79 provided with threaded axial openings to receivethe stems 80 of a pair of plungers 81 whose inner enlarged heads extendinto axial end openings 82 of the piston 69 whose extreme ends areslightly reduced in order to. avoid closing the channels 50 and 51 whenthe piston is shifted endwise.

The outer ends of the plunger stems 80 are locked by nuts 88 preferablyseated within cavities 84-. of the outer faces of the plugs 79, andsprings 85 within the piston openings 82 and between the inner ends ofthese openings and the plungers 81, serve to normally hold the pistonand consequently the cam member 7 2 in the central inactive position.The plungers 81 preferably have small openings 86 therethrough and thepiston 69 is also preferably provided with an axial channel 87 extendingbetween the inner ends of its plunger openings 82 so as to thus avoidthe accumulation of pressure and interference with the free movements ofthe piston in operation.

It is obvious from the foregoing that the upper steam receiving chamberis in open communication with the boiler or other source of saturatedsteam at all times and it is also obvious that both of the upper valvemembers controlling the flow of saturated steam into the channels 50 and51 remain closed, with the cam 72 and piston 69 in the normal centralposition, until the throttle is cut off permitting the by-pass valvemembers 27 to drop. When this takes place, if steam is being by-passedfirst through the by-pass 16, the pressure of this steam passingupwardly through the right hand saturated steam supply tube 37 of Figure 1 and into the channel 51 of housing 49 in Figure 2 acts against theright hand end of the piston 69 and forces the same to the left therebyrocking the cam 72 in such a direction that its left hand boss 73 forcesupwardly against the valve stem 63 of the respective upper valve andunseats the latter so that saturated steam flows downwardly through thechannel 50 and into the by-pass valve 15 both by virtue of the pressureof the saturated steam supply and the suction at the left end of thesteam cylinder behind the piston.

When the main piston moves in the opposite direction in the steamcylinder 10, the reverse takes place, piston 69 being shifted to theright so that the upper right hand valve member is unseated permitting aflow of saturated steam into the channel 51 and from the latterdownwardly to the steam cylinder through the by-pass valve 16. It islikewise obvious that when the throttle is again opened pressure withinthe high pressure steam space 14 will close the two: bypass valves 15and 16 and thereupon the equalization of pressure within the saturatedsteam supply valve permits its parts to instantly assume the normalcentral position with both of the upper saturated steam controllingvalve members in closed position.

It is also to be noted that the saturated steam supply valve 48 ispreferably mounted in a plane slightly above that of the bypass valves15 and 16 so that I am able in this way to take full advantage of thenatural drain in providing in the way I have for lubrication duringperiods of drifting and while the by-pass valves are open to take careof the compression and vacuum which would otherwise exist at alternatelyopposite sides of the main piston, as well as the relief ofoverc0mp=ression through the adjustable compression relief caps, itbeing understood that the latter must be adjusted to such a point as notto interfere with the pressure actuation of the saturated steam valveswhen the by-pass valves are open.

My invention furthermore provides for the above operations andadvantages ina more automatic manner by a construction and combinationof parts which are not only economical in the first instance but subjectto little if any cost of upkeep and will be strong, durable andefficient in use.

I claim:

l. A saturated steam supply valve including a housing having an uppersteam receiving chamber and depending side steam. channels said housinghaving a central cam chamber and a horizontal piston bore with which thecam chamber communicates, opening at its opposite ends into the lowerportions of said channels, a pair of valve members controllingcommunication between the steam receiving chamber and the upper ends ofsaid channels, having the chamber having a tang depending into thegroove of the piston and having upper bosses laterally spaced beyond thelower V the latter to unseat the same.

2. A saturated steam supply valve including a housing having an uppersteam receiving chamber and depending side steam channels, said housinghaving a central cam chamber and a horizontal piston borewith which thecam chamber communicates, opening at its opposite ends into the slowerportions of said channels, a pair of valve members controllingcommunication between the'steam receiving chamber and the upper ends 01?said channels, having the lower portionsof their stems projecting intothe cam chamber at laterally spaced points, a piston in said piston borehaving a central annular groove and having spring means normallyretaining the same in a centralized position, and a cam oscillatable inthe cam chamber having a tang depending into the groove of the, pistonand having upper bosses laterally spaced beyond the lower ends of thestems of said valve members and shiftable separately into engagementwith the latter to unseat the same, said spring piston controlling meansincluding plungers supported at the opposite sides of the housing andentering axial bores in the opposite ends of the piston, and springswithinthe said bores engaging the piston and the said plungers.

3. A saturated steam supply valve having able member whose ends areexposed to said channels, and mechanical connections between sardmemberand said valve members for opening one ofthe valve members when theshiftable member is moved in either direction. 7

4L; saturatedsteam supply valve having a steam intake chamber and spacedsteam outlet channels valve members normally controlling communicationbetween said chamber and said channels, a lengthwise shiftable pressureactuated piston whose ends are exposed within said channels and a camoscillatable by movements of said piston and having means to unseat oneof said valve members upon oscillation thereof in either direction. 7 V

5. A saturated steam supply valve having a steam intake chamber andspaced steam outlet channels, valve members normally controlling'communication between ends are exposed within said channels havmg anannular groove intermediate its ends,

and an oscillatable cam member having a' EUGENE B. WHELAN.

said chamber and said channels, a lengthwise shiftable pressure actuatedpiston whose

